Countdown to Christmas with The Ritual of Advent

By
RITUALS

Fri Oct 13 2017

3 min read

Who didn't get excited about opening the advent calendar when they were younger? After all, every window opened meant you were a day closer to Christmas and gifts under the tree. Fortunately, you no longer need to wait until Christmas to treat yourself to gifts. With the The Ritual of Advent Calendar, you can enjoy a luxurious Rituals product behind every window. This is a great way to count down the last 24 days to Christmas and treat yourself to a special moment every day.

How it all started

The term ‘advent’ is derived from the Latin word ‘adventus,’ meaning ‘coming’. During this time, Christians await the coming of Jesus and the beginning of Christmas. The countdown tradition is nothing new: even before the invention of the advent calendar, many families would mark each day of advent by lighting a candle. It was only around 1900 that the world's first printed calendar was released; but this one only had pictures behind the windows. The first chocolate-filled advent calendars would only arrive in 1958. These were initially themed around the nativity scene, with later versions featuring more and more Christmas figures.

We now have many variants of the advent calendar containing gifts such as sweets, toys, beauty products, and sometimes more extravagant objects. In 2010, Harrods – the luxury department store in London – sold an advent calendar for one million dollars (that's €720,000). But instead of chocolate, the person who bought the calendar received an 8.5-metre-long boat, a watch worth €100,000, a kitchen, cuff links, and a pair of sunglasses.

Whatever's hidden behind the windows, an advent calendar's essential use remains the same: to count down the days to Christmas.

The Ritual of Anticipation

The 24-day Advent period was created to give you time to prepare for special Christmas celebrations. Nowadays, these 24 days are usually a time of stress and tension. Why not do things differently this year and create some moments of reflections? There's no better way to count down to Christmas than with a daily gift.

The fact that our lives can quickly become ‘ordinary’ means it's important to have something to look forward to every day. Treating yourself and setting aside a special moment just for you can brighten up even the dullest of days. It's also a way to keep your spirits high at a time when the dark nights are closing in.

24 days till Christmas

The countdown to Christmas is a special ritual that can help you step back and cherish ‘the here and now’ every day. Count down the days together and treat yourself or a loved one to The Ritual of Advent – a calendar packed full of your favourite Rituals products.

Take the time to slow down and reflect on the past year with The Ritual of Advent.